This invention relates in general to vehicle couplings and in particular to a new and useful support of a traction/thrust device of a central buffer coupling and a coupling uptake.
A support of a traction/thrust device of a cenral buffer coupling at the coupling uptake, in particular, the uptake perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, includes detachable connectors, aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, between the support and the coupling uptake.
To absorb the energy produced in a vehicle such as a train car at coupling speed and at traction force differences, springs are in general used at the coupling. For the reduction of higher thrust forces energy consumption elements are employed which operate either destructively or regeneratively. Such shock absorbers are known for example from German Pat. No. 15 30 223, German Pat. No. 19 12 049 or from German Pat. No. 19 47 819. A customary attachment of the traction/thrust device at the head beam of the vehicle frame with screws is shown in German Pat. No. 27 41 739. This rigid attachment of the traction/thrust device at the head or coupling uptake proves disadvantageous when still higher impact forces act on the traction/thrust device, after the energy absorption capacity of the shock absorber is exhausted. Deformations occur at the couplings, in the underframe, in the region of the coupling articulation, as well as in the front region of the fore-structure. Because deformations in the coupling and in the underframe require costly repairs, it is proposed to reduce the thrust energy by employing additional energy absorption elements in the form of destructive or regenerative elements or respectively by controlled deformation in the front region of the fore-structure, and to place them in a cost-effficient location. This presupposes that the required path for the energy absorption is accommodated either additionally in the drawbar or at the attachment of the traction/thrust device at the underframe.